ARGOS DAN FERRONE & DON LONEY NAMED TO CANADIAN FOOTBALL H.O.F. CLASS OF 2013Thursday, February 21st, 2013

ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF

TORONTO - The Toronto Argonauts Football Club would like to congratulate former Argonauts OG Dan Ferrone (Player) and the family of former lineman Don Loney (who will be inducted posthumously as a Builder) on being named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2013. With this announcement, the total number of Argonauts in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame will be 61.

Ferrone was originally drafted by the Argonauts in 1981. A graduate of Simon Fraser University, he spent eight (8) years (1981-1988) with the team before leaving for the Stampeders. After only one season with Calgary, Ferrone returned to the Double Blue in 1990 and played for another three (3) years (1990-1992). He earned two Grey Cup championships with the Argos in 1983 and in 1991, and was named to the CFL's All-Star team five (5) times and CFL Divisional All-Star team nine (9) times. Ferrone was a two-time recipient of the East Division Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award (1984,1985), making him one of only two players in club history to earn it twice. He was an Argos team captain for ten (10) seasons and was a ten-time nominee as the Club’s most outstanding lineman.

After his retirement in 1992, Ferrone went on to serve as President of the CFL Players’ Association from 1993-2000. After leaving his post with the CFLPA, he served as the Argonauts’ Offensive Line Coach in 2002. In 2003 he was named Vice President of the historic franchise and later promoted to team President. In 2006, he was named an All-Time Argo and his number 69 was raised into the rafters at Rogers Centre. In 2007, he was named to the All-Time Argonauts depth chart as a guard. He is a member of the Wall of Fame at T.A. Blakelock High School in Oakville, Ontario, as well as the Oakville Hall of Fame.

Don Loney played just one season in Double Blue. It was 1946 and the Boatmen captured their second of three consecutive Grey Cup championships, beating Winnipeg 28-6 in the title game at Varsity Stadium. He went on to play seven more seasons with the Ottawa Rough Riders and was named the East Division’s Most Valuable Player in 1950. Following retirement as a player, he became head coach of the St. Francis Xavier football program and was instrumental in building the sport in eastern Canada. CIS teams in Atlantic Canada now compete for the Loney Bowl, for the right to play in the Atlantic Bowl, and the MVP of the Atlantic Bowl game is the recipient of the Don Loney Trophy. Loney, who was inducted to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1988, was active in the conception of what is now called the Vanier Cup.

Commented Dan Ferrone, “This is both a very exciting and a very proud moment for me, and I want to thank the selection committee for this honour. This nomination is for anyone who has contributed significantly to football in Canada, at all levels, which is why I feel so privileged to be named to the Hall of Fame. Every player hopes for this, and I’ve always been flattered at the suggestion that I could one day be considered for this kind of recognition. There are moments in life, and this is a great moment. I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”

The Toronto Argonauts would like to congratulate all of the inductees including Miles Gorrell (Player), who served as the Argos’ Canadian Scouting Coordinator from 2006 until 2009. The other inductees are former Eskimos great, Brian Fyer (Player), former CFL official, Jake Ireland (Builder), and Hamilton Tiger-Cats legend, Earl Winfield (Player).